General Practice Programme Board minutes: April 2025

Attendees and apologies

Members

• Chris Black, Deputy Chair, Scottish General Practitioners Committee (SGPC)
• Brian Chittick, Chief Executive, NHS Shetland
• Jeremy Chowings, Co-Chair of Primary Care Clinical Leads Group
• Nick Fayers, Chief Officer, Western Isles Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)
• Fiona Forrest, Pharmacotherapy Strategic Implementation Group (PSIG) (For Roisin Kavanagh)
• Susan Gallacher, Deputy Director of Primary Care, Scottish Government (SG)
• Helen Hellewell, Co-Chair of Primary Care Clinical Leads Group
• Lorna Kelly, National Strategic Lead for Primary Care, Health and Social Care Scotland
• Kathy Kenmuir, Professional Adviser on Nursing, SG
• Peter MacLean, Chair of Primary Care Leads Management Group
• Tim McDonnell (Chair), Director of Primary Care, SG
• Al Miles, Deputy Chair, SGPC
• Iain Morrison, Chair, SGPC
• Robbie Pearson, Chief Executive, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• Stuart Reary, Professional Adviser on General Practice, SG
• Soumen Sengupta, Chief Officer, South Lanarkshire HSCP
• Alison Strath, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, SG

In attendance

• Scottish Government official
• Scottish Government official
• Scottish Government official
• Scottish Government official

Apologies

• Roisin Kavanagh, Chair of Pharmacotherapy Strategic Implementation Group
• Pamela Stott, Chief Officer, Highland HSCP
• David Prince, Head of national negotiations and representation, BMA Scotland
• Julie White, Chief Executive, NHS Dumfries & Galloway
• Helen Moores-Poole, Professional Adviser: Allied Health Professions, SG

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed members to the second Programme Board meeting of 2025, and introduced new members who have joined in their capacity as Co-Chairs of the Primary Care Clinical Leads Group: Dr Jeremy Chowings and Dr Helen Hellewell.

The Secretariat provided an update on the action tracker that was shared as a paper. There were 11 actions on the tracker, with eight being proposed to members as complete and three remaining in progress.

With reference to action 2, it was highlighted that the Demonstrator Delivery Plans had not been shared. The Scottish Government official noted that the proposed completion was due to the strengthened role of the Primary Care Phased Investment Programme (PCPIP) Programme Board to monitor the progress and insights of the programme and feed back to the board. However, it was agreed that the action would remain in progress and plans shared with the board once matured.

The board agreed to close the other actions marked as proposed complete. 

General Practice Programme Board (GPPB) Programme of Work

Scottish Government official introduced the updated Programme of Work document. The board was invited to comment on the usefulness of the format – and to highlight any workstreams requiring the attention of this board.

In discussion the board noted: 

• the programme of work is comprehensive and – given the number of workstreams included – a system or process will be required for determining which should feature on meeting agendas. It was suggested that the dates of upcoming key milestones could be considered – or a ‘triage’ system with time devoted to each workstream based on its RAG status
• there may be value in adding a high-level document that captures trends and key data to support discussion of key issues
• the board should be aware that other workstreams may be interconnected – especially when considering action required to address a red status
• there were questions around the accuracy of the suggest RAG status on some of the workstreams and members will provide feedback
• in response to questions from the board about the RAG status of specific workstreams, the Chair noted that members were welcome to share comments and proposed amendments. The Chair also suggested members keep in mind the purpose of the ratings – which is to help the board identify where it should focus its attention
• the board highlighted the “Mental Health and Wellbeing” workstreams as an area the GPPB may want to focus on, especially given its potential to impact demand in the wider primary care system
• the Chair asked members to consider how the organisations they represent can provide input to the Programme of Work document, to ensure all workstreams are captured
• Scottish Government official gave an update on the National Care Service (NCS). A National Care Reform Bill for elements of Part Two of NCS is being moved through parliament and an advisory board is to be set up by spring 2025

Action

Scottish Government official/s to engage with board members on how the organisations they represent can feed into the Programme of Work document.

Audit Scotland report on General Practice

Scottish Government official provided an update on the Audit Scotland report and its recommendations. 

In discussion the board noted:

• chair of the SGPC stated that the report was an accurate reflection of on the ground experiences in general practice, and that it came at an opportune time given the ongoing discussions on future investment into primary care
• with reference to improving data in general practice, the SGPC noted it had undertaken considerable work in this area, and was open to supporting efforts to develop data sets that would allow investment confidence in general practice
• the importance of attracting new general practitioners, given the volume of recent graduates
• the decrease in direct spending on general practices as a proportion of NHS spending between 2017 to 2018 and 2023 to 2024 seemed in contrast to the focus on shifting the balance of care into primary care
• further work in relation to Audit Scotland report to be undertaken by Scottish Government, noting importance of whole system implementation and delivery

Business case for further investment

Deputy Director of General Practice Policy provided an update and noted that the work had commenced but was at an early stage.

In discussion the board noted:

• the Chair asked that members provide suggestions after the meeting for members of the sub-group
• the SGPC’s position that further investment should focus on general practice, rather than MDTs
• a robust business case process needs to be open and objective, with a range of options considered based on data and evidence
• support for the business case process, whilst noting should not prevent short-term action being taken where necessary and appropriate
• the longer-term focus of the business case, which needs to provide confidence the correct investment decisions are being taken with a multi-year perspective
• the balance needed between progressing work quickly and ensuring the findings of the PCPIP are taken into account. An agile approach that reacts to emerging data and evidence will be important
• the strategic case had started, with a list of options to be produced and then discussed
• SG are currently identifying resources and upskilling internally to support the production of the business case

Action

Members to provide recommendations for representation on Business Case Sub Group to secretariat by 16 May 2025.

Any other business

No further business.